50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Tsavo East National Park by Wim
Huge. No guarantees for wildlife spotting.
Our trip to Tanzania was fantastic; a great success.
Our trip to Tanzania was fantastic; a great success. The two camps we used, Lake Manze in the Selous and Jongomero in the Ruaha, were both, in their own different ways, outstanding; camp management, people, accommodation, food, all terrific. Transport was first class, and great fun; we were able to spend pretty much all day exploring alone with our guide (in surprisingly, but very welcome, ‘open’ comfort). With the amount you can see on TV these days there was a slight concern that we would have felt ‘familiar’ with everything; but the reality was, to my delight, that everything was just enthralling. No bored kids at any point! And although we had expected elephants and other wildlife visitors at the camps (from the pre-trip information) the actual experience was thrilling and occasionally hilarious!
Wildlife could have been generally more prolific, but there was always something to interest or entertain us, and we saw enough of the varied and big African game to not be disappointed. This was our first safari experience and although I would certainly like to return to see the big expansive grasslands, the migratory herds and all the dramas they attract, we all had a wonderful experience.
Internal flights, though occasionally long, were all part of the experience which I thoroughly enjoyed, and although my youngest daughter started out pretty terrified I think by the end she was comfortably elephant spotting as we swooped down to the runways.
Yes a great trip; I will be back for the herds of Wildebeest!
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Tanzania by rick harner photo
The Northern circuit of National Parks has a great diversity of habitats which enables a diversity of birds and mammal species. You can easily see over 250 species of birds and 75 species of mammals including the Big Five in a two week period.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Lake Nakuru National Park by Wim
My second favourite. small, crowded, but impressive.
Nothing short of Paradise
We are so grateful to Tanzania Odyssey and especially Tom for sorting out our trip.
Jongomero and Siwandu were nothing short of paradise. Beautiful settings, unimaginably friendly staff, delicious food (and lots of it) and awesome game viewing. I must also add that Mark at Ras Kutani did a fantastic job of making Christmas special for us.
We particular liked how jongo, Siwandu and Ras K were all distinct in style and made efforts to add little personalized touches. We have both travelled far and wide but can honestly say that the level of service (and enjoyment) was the best either of us have ever experienced.
In short it was the trip of a lifetime (although we will have to return sooner rather than later!)
Thanks again for organising the perfect honeymoon and making it all run so smoothly.
We have recommended Tanzania and you guys to everyone we know and I believe that Tom is organising a trip already for our great friends ## and ##!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Botswana by tosakan2000
A stunning landscape with many animals and much excitement.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Lake Bogoria National Reserve by Wim
Hot springs + flamingoes. The dead ones stink!
Your advice, as always from TO, was absolutely on the ball...
Despite my personal reservations, your advice, as always from TO, was absolutely on the ball. I had feared that our viewing would be marred by lots of other vehicles, but not at all. In South Serengeti, we literally saw millions of animals – mostly wildebeest and zebra of course, but on most days not more than one other vehicle! The timing was perfect, with all the wildebeest calving in our area, but the weather was not ideal. We just managed to avoid the rain, but it was mostly dull, and I gather they had a lot of rain just before we arrived which made the land rather boggy.
Now to the camps:-
Crater Lodge
As anticipated, this was way over the top – who expects to see electric golf carts in a game lodge? – but great fun for a couple of nights. Super luxurious, superb banda with a great view, personal butler service and everything one could wish for. It was possibly a little too luxurious to have the true feeling of a game lodge – for us the ideal balance is Beho Beho – luxury but with a feeling of intimate contact with the game. Apart from a small hiccup at the beginning, the service and food were excellent. I should explain that after an overnight flight to Nairobi, then a four hour hopping flight with Coastal to Manyara, then a one and a half hour drive to the lodge, we were dog tired on arrival, and all we wanted was a siesta. The manager however was insistent that we have pep talk with others and then lunch before we could go to our banda, about 4 p.m. We were not best pleased. They did however make up for it and more the following day. We arrived back after a nine hour game drive in the crater to find the bath run, surrounded by thousands of rose petals, and with champagne on ice by the bath!
That evening our table at dinner was covered with roses and again all around masses of rose petals. Altogether a brilliant day. We suspect there was a little TO sorcery involved!
The game viewing was also excellent. Staying at Crater Lodge meant that we could be down in the crater very early, which meant that for the first 3 to 4 hours there were very few other vehicles. The variety of game was astonishing in such a limited area and Mudy was an excellent guide. The only downside (which was understandable in such a limited area) was that the vehicles are not permitted to leave the tracks.
On our last morning we went to Olduvai Gorge which we found fascinating. We found to our surprise that 90% of visitors only go to the museum at the top, unlike us who found the real interest down at the discovery sites in the gorge, which we had to ourselves.
Alex Walker’s Serian
This is all proper safari camping should be. Not luxury but service second to none. We have had excellent service in other camps over the years but this is the first time we found that the owners/managers had a genuine affection for their guests. Both camps are in lovely wooded situations, but close to the Serengeti Plain. Alex himself met us at Kusini airstrip and guided us throughout. His guiding and knowledge of the area is exceptional and he was extremely likeable and friendly. The camp has only four tents, presided over by the delightful Robyn, and all the guests were great fun, giving the feel of a large harmonious family. After a (deliberately) long game drive, we transferred to Kakaseo, their other camp in the South Serengeti, presided over by Robyn’s aunt Belinda and uncle Gerard. This was very similar, run in exactly the same efficient friendly fashion. Masha, our guide here was also incredibly good and great fun. Most of their staff are Maasai, so on the last evening, at our request we visited the boma of a relative of one of the staff – strictly not for tourists! This was fascinating and they were friendly, but Celina emerged absolutely white! We will not forget that visit for a while. I seem to have missed out the game, but it was amazing. Masha reckoned we had seen a million wildebeest, calving (incredibly quickly) running, jumping, swimming and with hundreds of thousands of calves. Lots of other game as well. Only the leopard eluded us, although I was sure I had heard it one night.
Ras Kutani
This was our third time in Ras Kutani over eight years, and it has not changed in the slightest. I don’t think I need to say much more than that it really is the perfect place to unwind. Superb suite with plunge pool, excellent food and friendly service, beautiful beach and nothing to do other than swim, read, eat and drink. Even flipflops are superfluous! An example of their attitude to customers was that although checkout is officially 10.a.m. but we would not be leaving until 6 p.m., and our successors would be arriving early, they simply gave us another banda as our base with the use of all the facilities until we left, at no charge.
All in all, we had a marvellous time and are happy we took your advice, despite my initial reservations. We did have some reservations about our return flight with Kenya Airways, but I have written to them. I did copy it to you, but if you have not received it, let me know and I will forward it to you.
Many thanks for all your help and advice.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about South Africa by Florian
South Africa offers increadible sceneries, not only inside Kruger National Park.